A New Roommate
by Lady Henrietta
Summary: AU, Season 4: Laura has a chat with a new patient whether she wants to or not. Bill/Laura
1. The Talk

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. AU: the original posting of this didn't happen nearly as I was hoping, so I've revised a few things.

A New Roommate

Part One: The Talk

"The wind touched my face. I could hear you whispering, feel your touch. In that moment, you hadn't left me, rather you had come with me to this new land." Bill rested his hands on the book and turned back to Laura, whose eyes were still closed in one of the brief moments of peace that her life allowed.

He had turned his gaze back to the book when Dr. Cottle cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but CIC wants you, something about a test run for a shuttle that hit the deck a few weeks ago."

The admiral nodded and stood, looking back to Laura. Gently he touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry to leave early, but I'm needed in CIC."

She blinked and gave him a small smile. "It's alright. We'll finish the chapter later."

Giving her hand a small squeeze, he left. Usually they remembered to close the curtain surrounding her bed so that the other residents in Life Station would not pay any mind that the president there. Today they had simply forgotten. Claire Kowalski had stirred in the next bed when Bill had started reading.

Curious on who her roommate was and what was going on, Claire had watched the tender scene unfold. The man with the most comforting, amazing voice that she had ever heard, read to the tired woman, who looked to be on the same treatment that Claire herself was receiving. She had seen the woman close her eyes and smile dreamily. Then the man had closed the book, but he kept talking as if he were still reading. It was one of the most touching, most fascinating things that she had ever witnessed.

It was only as he left that Claire recognized him as the fleet admiral. Then who was he reading to? She had caught sight of a wedding ring, but did not recall any news on the admiral being married. Claire decided that it was time to find out. She sat up and turned toward the other woman. "Excuse me. I don't believe we've me. I'm Claire Kowalski."

The other woman slowly sat up and faced her. She studied Claire, finding it difficult to believe that this woman had no idea whom she was. Then again, without the glasses or the podium, she did not look very presidential at that moment. "Laura," she responded.

Claire nodded. "So what are you in for?"

"Diloxin," Laura replied, frowning at the IV.

"Me too. Lousy sentence. Personally I'd rather be in his shoes," Claire remarked, pointing to a man who had just entered Life Station to ask for directions.

Laura smirked, deciding that she liked this oddly nosy woman. "That would be nice."

"I'm sorry if I've been a busy-body. I just never noticed you there before," Claire stated.

"We usually remember to close the curtain," she responded. Then she rubbed her temples, realizing that she had accidentally said 'we.'

"It's nice to have a visitor like you do, if you don't mind me commenting," the other woman stated.

Laura faced her again. Having a normal conversation with someone was not a luxury that she experienced often. "It's fine."

Claire glanced down at her bony hands, folding them in her lap. "You're lucky, you know. I wish my husband had time to read to me like that."

Laura's eyes widened. "We're not- I mean we're just friends."

"Then that's some friend you have. What I can't figure out is how he keeps reading to you after the book is closed," Claire commented.

Laura sat up straighter, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Claire smiled at the woman's surprising lack of awareness. "He closes the book, but keeps talking. It's as if he's got more to say to you, but he disguises it with the book."

Taking a deep breath, Laura looked out past her bed at nothing in particular. "Maybe you're right. It would be just like him."

Was that a look of affection in her eyes that Claire noticed? "He cares about you. Would it really be so bad if he was more than just a friend?"

Laura debated telling the other woman that she was being intrusive, that this was not a topic for a discussion with someone she had just met. Instead, she found herself saying, "It's not that simple. He and I both have very complicated lives."

Claire shook her head. "Excuses. You and I are her for the same reasons. We know we're dying, but we keep telling ourselves every day to keep going and keep fighting. It's better if you're not fighting alone."

Somehow this woman had managed to get into Laura's head. She swallowed back the urge to let the tears through her defenses. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. "I was once told that every day is a gift."

"That's because it is." Claire paused to smile. "Every day is a gift, but there's more to it than that. It can be received, and it can also be given. If there's one thing I've learned from this experience, it's to get rid of regrets."

Laura snorted. "Easier said than done. You have no idea how many I would love to get rid of."

"It wouldn't be that hard to get rid of one. The man who reads to you, he cares about you, and I suspect you care for him. Wouldn't it be better to share your feelings instead of regretting that you never told him how you felt?" Claire suggested.

Laura lay back on the pillow. "If he knew, it would hurt him more when I'm gone."

Shaking her head, Claire took a drink from the glass of water sitting on the rolling table on the other side of her bed. "You're wrong. It'll hurt more, him thinking that you never shared his feelings. It doesn't matter who you are outside of here, or who you are on the job. What matters is who you are when you're with him."

Raising an eyebrow, Laura looked back to the other woman. "You sound like you've done this before."

"Let's just say that almost dying once should teach a person something about living," Claire responded.

Laura would have commented further, but a distinguished man with a curled mustache and salt-and-pepper hair entered the room. Claire's face brightened as he neared her bed. "Victor, I thought you were still at work."

The man approached her bed and sat down next to her, pulling her into a hug. "I took off early. I can make it up tomorrow morning. I had to see you."

She grinned. "You didn't have to do that."

"I love you. Of course I did," Victor stated before kissing her warmly.

Laura looked away, seeing Cottle nearing her bed. Victor and Claire continued to talk as Cottle arrived to disconnect both of their IVs. "I'm sorry that this is probably horrible for your social life, being cooped up here."

"Actually it's not so bad. I met someone today," Claire said, turning to look at Laura. "Victor, this is Laura. Laura, this is my husband."

Unlike Claire, Victor's face showed a flash of recognition as he shook Laura's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Laura."

"You as well, Victor," she responded politely. "Claire, it was nice chatting with you. I should be going."

"Bye, Laura," the other woman responded.

Laura left Life Station quietly, heading back to the admiral's quarters to rest before her next meeting. This new woman, Claire, had given her a lot to think about.


	2. A Different Conversation

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica belongs to Ronald D. Moore and the Sci-Fi channel. (A/N: For those of you who caught the first part of this before I revised it, the other patient is Claire, not Emily).

Part Two: A Different Conversation

Bill and Laura had not seen each other much since her treatment. Recent events had placed him in CIC far later, and then far earlier than he would have wanted. But he had promised to be at her treatment. The conversation with Claire two days ago had replayed in Laura's mind several times.

She reclined on the bed and he opened the book. "I had two hundred people to look after, shelter to build before nightfall, food to be gathered, and no time for the personal thoughts swimming through my mind. Finding shelter became easier when we realized that our capsized boat had enough wood still intact to construct something from."

As he continued to read, she closed here eyes, but not with an intention of falling asleep. Claire had been asleep in her bed, but woke to the sound of a voice. She blinked and looked over to see the admiral reading to Laura again. The president, Claire mentally corrected herself. This woman was actually the president. Yet at a time like this, Claire could see that she was just Laura, and the man reading to her was just… now what was his first name? Claire continued to watch them as he closed the book again. As he spoke, looking down at the book, he did not see Laura silently open her eyes and sit up.

"I slept on the sand that night, looking up at the scrap of wood that served as my ceiling. I could hear the ocean waves dancing up to the shoreline and then back again. But my thoughts strayed to you. Every day is a gift, every moment, and all that we come to appreciate. I was alive, though-"

Feeling a hand on his face, he jerked his attention up and met lively green eyes. "Bill, I don't think I've thanked you for doing this, coming in to read," she began. Then a smirk spread across her face as she sat on the edge of the bed. "And then there's the lovely improvising you do."

Having her so close, speech failed him. "Well…"

"Every day is indeed a gift. However, I was recently told that it is a gift to not only be received, but given," she told him.

His right hand found her left. "Laura, you don't have to do anything to-"

"I love you," she whispered before leaning forward and kissing him gently.

Whether from the shock of the situation or her proximity, the book on his lap fell to the floor with a clunk. The hand holding hers slipped out of her fingers and around her waist. She pulled back to gage his reaction. He grinned at her before responding, "I love you too."

When their lips touched again, the kisses grew more passionate. Claire discreetly leaned over and pulled the string that allowed the curtain to encircle Laura's bed area.

Dr. Cottle wandered over after a while. He unhooked Claire's IV and then moved to the closed curtain. Claire sat up quickly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

He raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"The admiral's visiting her," Claire reminded.

"So?"

Claire sighed and shook her head. "Listen. What do you hear?"

The doctor shrugged. "Nothing."

"Exactly!" Claire exclaimed. "If he's visiting, but he's not reading to her, what do you think they're doing?"

Cottle snorted. "The last thing we need is gossip. I'm glad your husband is picking you up later."

Ignoring Claire, he pulled the curtain back. The president sat on the edge of the bed as the admiral bent to pick up a book from the floor. "Madame President, you're done for today," Cottle stated, unhooking her IV.

"Thank you, Doctor," she replied, preparing to leave.

Bill offered Laura his arm as they left her bed, but then she turned back to Claire. "Thank you, Claire."

The other woman grinned broadly. "Any time, Madame President."

Her title caused her to pause, but then she gave a graceful nod and returned to the admiral. Claire smiled as they left, arms linked. She glanced over the chair that the admiral had been sitting in, seeing that he had left the book behind.

Passing by to remove the IV rod, Cottle also spotted the book. "They'll be back for that."

Claire smirked and shook her head. "I doubt it."

Fin…………….

(My thanks to Mariel3 for reviewing :D)


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